Starlight In the Clouds
by ju5t4n3rd
Summary: A high school AU, focusing on Kili and Tauriel. Chapters will come out every other day. I don't know how long this will go, but I'm hoping that it gets a nice long arc! Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

"Tauriel!" He calls out, chasing her though the halls. He bumps into several other students, which constitue a myriad of angry glares in reply. Kili smiles at the tall and slender girl, whose hair is in a high ponytail and eyes dazzle like emeralds in starlight.

She holds her books in her arms and looks down at the boy, raising a perfectly landscaped eyebrow. "What do you want?" She asks, an air of superiority about her. The two share a History class together, but seeing as they sit in opposite ends of the classroom, they never talk. It's a bit strange that he's talking to her now, especially considering other circumstances.

The halls seemed to lull into an eerie silence as the two stand in each other's wake. It's always been common knowledge that wrestlers and theater kids don't talk with each other. The wrestlers were brutes in the eyes of the thespians, and inversely, the actors could be nothing more than a group of snobby rich kids in mind's eye of wrestlers. So for anyone who happened to see the cousin of the head wrestler talking to the drama club's vice president? It was odd, to say the least.

Kili fidgets with his fingers, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. He cracks a reckless grin and spits the words out of his mouth, like arrows flying from their bow.

"I heard you've got a show tonight! And I wanted to, uh, know if you presold tickets! Bard told me that I can get good seats if I asked you, and I wouldn't wanna miss your show!"

"You... Wait, what?" Tauriel was sure that Kili had no idea what a theatrical production even was, let alone there was a show tonight. "How do you even-" He cuts her off, his grin widening.

"I went to find the drama board, and found that you got the lead for uh... The Ghost of the Musical? Yeah, something like that! I wouldn't wanna miss that! How much are tickets?" He fumbles in the pocket of his letterman jacket, and pulls out a very thin wallet, trying to scrounge up loose change and single dollar bills.

She stares in shock at him. How does he...? "They're seven dollars. And any snack can be bought there for one dollar." She pulls out a manilla folder with tickets. "Where, um, where do you want to sit in the theater?" She asks. Not many people have bought tickets from her; what with the internet and her president selling most of them.

"Oh, that's great!" He mutters to himself, pouring a pile of quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies into his palm and counting them. "I uh... I'll sit wherever you think is best! I wanna get a good view, for sure!" He says lightly. He trusts her.

She nods and thumbs through her tickets. "Uh... Middle of the tenth row alright with you?" She clarifies.

"Perfect!" He says, thrusting his hand out to her. "Eleven quarters, one dime, three nickels and four dollars makes seven total! ... Right?" He says. Kili's always been rotten with arithmatic.

Tauriel thinks through the math for a moment, trying not to show that she's counting on her fingers. She nods and takes the money, giving him a ticket in return. "Exactly right. The show starts at-"

"KILI!"

Kili and Tauriel jump, turning to see a blonde-haired boy that already has a beard that would make some grown men jealous. Fili stomps through the sea of other students and grabs his brother by the shoulder.

"Th' hell are you doin' with some drama queen?!" He demands, giving a nasty glare to Tauriel. The fraternal twin brothers were side by side at all times, and to see his brother with an enemy of their cousin? Blasphemy.

Tauriel flips her hair behind her shoulder and huffs. "I was just about to leave. I wouldn't be caught dead with a couple of sweaty oxen who find enjoyment in bashing their heads together. Besides, I have a show that starts at seven tonight." She glances at Kili, for less than a moment, before turning on her heel and leaving, her hips swaying to and fro.

Kili smiles at her as she leaves, but his grin melts as his brother smacks him in the back of the head. "Ow! Fuck was that for?!" He wails, rubbing his head gingerly.

"We got practice. It started twenty minutes ago, Kili. Christ man, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that you had a crush on the bitch! Do you remember what her dumbass boyfriend did to Thorin sophomore year?" Fili walks with Kili down to the gym.

Kili shoves his hands(and ticket) into the depths of his deep pocket and sulks as he tromps, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Yeah, yeah. I remember." He mutters in a reluctant tone.

"Say it." His brother says, but it sounds like a threat.

With a great and irritated sigh, Kili repeats the story. "Sophomore year, when Thorin was coordinating everything for the halldeck competiton, the theater club went into our territory after everyone left and destroyed the place, making sure that they'd win the stupid competition and get the stupid funds for their stupid field trip to stupid Broadway."

"And?"

"And then he pantsed Thorin during the assembly."

"And?"

"And he caught it on video and made the broadcasting play it for a week after the whole thing." God, Kili had heard that story so many times, it was mind-numbing. They enter the locker room and strip down, pulling their nylon uniforms on.

With a mouth guard equipped, Fili replies sternly. "Ah' 'aht's why we 'ate 'em 'oh much. I 'on't 'anna 'ee you 'alkin' 'ooh 'aht girl anymore, got it?"  
Kili slips his neon mouth guard in and nods, giving a 'yeah yeah' sorta grunt. The two practice, Kili getting a bit of a harder time from coach for being so late.


	2. Chapter 2

(Author's note: Hope you guys enjoy! This chapter features special guest star, Bard!)

Braids.

A few are fine; attractive even. But a whole head of braids, and then all of that pinned against her scalp? It's a good thing Tauriel loves this art so much, otherwise the pain would immediately turn her off from the whole ordeal.

The actress sits in her dressing room, applying layers of makeup onto her porcelien skin, as that the harsh stage lights would drain her of any ounce of color otherwise. She considers the options in her mind as she gracefully drags lipstick across her plump lips, eyes wide to make sure that every stroke is exact.

_'He could have been lying... Or maybe it was for his mother and he wanted to flatter me. Maybe he thinks that it's going to be a horror story. God, he called it The Ghost of the Musical... At least he tried. And I mean, he gave me the money, so it's no loss for me. If he comes, he'll see a good show. If he doesn't, I'll still have seven dollars for the show's funds. He talked to Bard, though. He must be pretty serious if he went to the head stage crew guy. The way he sm-'_

"Tauriel, are you ready? You still gotta get your mic on." The drama club president opens her door, and she can see him smile softly through the mirror. His usually cold blue eyes seem to warm up when he looks at her, like ice melting. Legalos studies her expression and his changes to concern. "Is something on your mind?" He asks.

She stands up and turns to him, smiling. "I'm fine, just a bit jittery for opening night." She fidgets with her fingers and nods, as if to assure him of her words.

Legalos comes to her and embraces her lovingly, stroking her hair. "You'll be fantastic, Tauriel. You always are." He whispers to her. He pulls back and smiles, taking her fidgeting hands into his.

She nods again, silently swallowing down her nervousness whose roots are from matters that have nothing to do with her confidence in her acting abilities. "Thanks. Let's go get my mic." She tells him, dropping his hands from her and exiting to the soundboard.

Tauriel greets and smiles at her peers as she walks to the soundboard. Her friend Bard applies the hellish tape to her face, and curiosity tugs at her until she has no other option than to follow the rabbit and ask on the matter that's been plaguing her mind.

"Bard...? Did... Did someone ask about the show tonight?"

"Whaddaya mean, Tauri? Lotsa people talkt t' me 'bout shows. Gimme more deets."

She plays with her hair in a compulsive way, looking at the soundboard, but stealing glances around to see if anyone's paying them mind. It doesn't seem to be the case.

"Oh... I don't know... Maybe, a... Uh... A wrestler?" She offers, gambling a strained smile.

Bard's expression changes, and he smirks. "Kili. Yeah, he was really excited about the show. Messed up the name, though. Still, the guy gave effort." He chuckles and calibrates the buttons on the soundboard.

Tauriel giggles and nods in agreement. "Yeah. What did he say...? Ghost of the Musical? Pfft..." She shakes her head, her mind wandering to that dork and hopeful smile that infects her expression so that she too is smiling.

Bard's smirk widens as he reads the actress like an open book. "He comin' tonight?" He asks, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes._ 'This is going to be interesting...'_

Her fingers find themselves tangling within each other, like vines and gnarled branches, twisting and contorting. She gives a nervous chuckle and shrugs in a sheepish manner.

"Um... Maybe? He bought a ticket bu-"

"He'll be here." Bard assures, laughing in a mix of amusment and curiosity for what events will unfold.

Tauriel stares at him for a second, confused, and he only winks in reply. Shaking her head, Tauriel just goes back up to the dressing rooms.  
Her dress hangs in the wardrobe and she strips down, slipping the soft fabric onto her skin. She tries to pin it up herself, but to no avail. Tauriel groans and tries agai-

"Need help?" Legolas' cool hands deftly pin up her dress from behind. The drama officer finishes and leans against the wall, smiling at his star and friend.

"You look great."

She shakes her head a bit, smiling. "Thanks." She says, but anyone can tell that she hasn't taken the compliment. The actress holds her arms to herself, eyes set on the chair to her side. Her mind swirls, and Legolas takes her hands again.

"Hey... You okay?" He asks, giving her a small smile.

Tauriel looks at him, and swallows. "It's just that..." She contemplates actually telling him. Should she? _'No, he'd throw a fit.'_ "Curtain opens in twenty minutes." She tells him, cracking a grin.

He smiles and hugs her tightly. "And you're going to be perfect." He says.

She returns the embrace and looks around, anxiety nibbling at the edges of her insides like termites in a rotten tree.

_'This is going to be interesting...'_


	3. Chapter 3

(Author's Note: #sorrynotsorry)

Leaving from practice twenty minutes early isn't recommended. Especially, if you were already twenty minutes late to begin with. But bladders are lovely things, that gives Kili the perfect excuse to slip out from his brother and friend's sight, so he can go get ready.

"Kili, don't you have practice right now?" His mother asks from the kitchen as he runs up to his room to change into something more presentable. A dress shirt and jeans. That works, right? He runs a comb through his shaggy hair and bushes his teeth. He even changes his socks.

"I'm workin' on a project at a friend's, ma! I'll be home 'fore midnight!" He lies easily. He goes into the back of his closet and snags fifty bucks from his emergency piggy bank, shoving the cash into his pocket. With a swift smooch to his mom, he grabs his keys and drives back to the school.

"Wait. Y' get flowers for actors. Right? Uhh... Yeah." He makes a sharp turn into a corner store and buys the biggest bunch of flowers that he can find before going back on route. When he gets there, he pulls into an area that he's never been to before. The auditorium.

Walking in there was like directly walking into a land mine. Old ladies that smelled like linen and moth balls talked about their grandchildren that were in the musical, and how proud of them they were. Artsy hipster kids that were too indie to actually perform waited in anticipation to see their friends on stage. Parents that had cameras at the ready waited expectantly for the house to open up.

Kili felt like an outcast. He plays with his ticket and walks around, looking up at all the posters of the different productions that the school had done. At the middle of the hall is a large poster that says "The Phantom of the Opera". Kili stares up at it and squints.

"Ghost of the Musical. Really? Jesus Christ, I'm an idiot!" He hisses to himself. He sighs and looks around, seeing that the doors had opened, allowing him to go to his seat. The wrestler doesn't buy any snacks, and looks for his seat.

_'Row J, seat 34. Row J, seat 34.' _

He thinks to himself, going up and down the aisles until he finds his seat. He bumps past other patrons of the theater, awkwardly apologizing and then sits down with a plop in seat 34. Tauriel wasn't kidding; this seat's right smack dab in the middle of the theater.

_"Don't drop that thun-thun-un, ayyy! Don't drop that thun-thun-un!"_

People turn their heads to Kili in irritation as his phone sings from his pocket, and he scrambles to silence it, looking at the text message that he's received. Wait no, not one text message. Two. Three. Four, five, six. Kili looks down at his phone in confusion, but then it clicks.

"Shit. Uh..." He just sort of rips the battery out of his phone and lets it die in his hands, before shoving it back into his pocket. He is not dealing with a horde of angry wrestlers right now. As if on cue, the lights dim, and the familiar voice of Bard reminds guests to turn off all electronic devices, then introduces them to the musical.

She doesn't show up until five minutes in, and for those first five minutes, Kili is very irritated. 'What kinda show has a star but waits forever to get her on stage?' He complains to himself. But when she enters the light of the stage, the fidgety and reckless fighter stills immediately, gazing at her.  
She's a goddess. Nothing less. And when she sings, god, it's like angels announcing the coming of the Lord. The way her body dances lightly across the stage, as if she's a feather and weighs nothing, but at the same time, the way her voice resonates through the theater with the dominant presence of a biting wind; letting one know how very present and influential that wind is as it cuts straight to the bone. Kili finds himself sitting on the edge of his seat, captivated by her. He follows the story perfectly, because every note she sings cuts clarity into him like a dagger, making him understand perfectly. As the intermission comes, he just sits there, waiting for the lights to dim yet again, his mind swimming with the plot.

_'He doesn't love her. He's just using her for her voice. She can't end up with him! She's gotta end up with Raul! He cares about her. He's always loved her. God, she's perfect. When does this stupid break end? How long has it been? When can we go back to watching her? She has to be with Raul. The Phantom is just manipulating her...! Jesus, when does the sho-'_

The lights dim again, and Kili smirks, scooting to the edge of his seat in anticipation for the production. His eyes lock on her as she comes back on stage. 'Why have I never gone to one of these before?' He wonders to himself. The whole thing is fantastic! The lights, the music, the special effects, costumes, her. The only thing he doesn't like is the Phantom. Maybe it's because that stupid Legolas prick is playing him, but Kili also is sure that he doesn't like the character in general.

As the climax builds and rises, Kili clutches the arm rests, his mind swirling. "No..." He whispers while the Phantom gives Christine a choice that makes the entire theater silent. Kili listens to every note, wincing at the Phantom's harsh voice, but at the same time, the wrestler melts at Tauriel's sweet as honey voice.

"God give me courage to show you, that you're not alone..." Tauriel's sweet voice resonates through the theater as she kisses the cruel and twisted Phantom, and Kili's jaw literally drops. He just stares in awe for the rest of the play, that image burning in his mind still.  
He stands and cheers for Tauriel when she curtsies at the end of the show, clapping profusely and hollering. She smiles and goes backstage, while the lights rise and people start to filter through.

_'I gotta talk to her...! That was amazing!'_

He walks to the front of the auditorium and finds himself swimming in a sea of actors and guests. Tauriel can't seem to get a break, from what Kili observes. Person after person want to talk with her, or give her flowers, or take her picture. The wrestler stays in the background, giving her time to glow. God, she really is glowing. The way she smiles, and that dress that falls perfectly on top of her skin.  
She sees him and her eyes widen, cracking a grin and giving a little wave. He excitedly waves back and after what seems like forever, the goddess walks over to Kili, smiling.

He shoves the flowers to her, unable to even think of something to say. Tauriel laughs and accepts them, admiring their beauty.

"Did you like it?" She asks.

"Like it?! It was fantastic, I loved it! Everything was so great, how do you even do it all?!" Kili gushes to her about every little scene and detail that he loved, grinning like a fiend.

Tauriel blushes and nods at him. "Thank you... I'm really glad you liked it." She replies to him calmly.

The two stand in silence for a few seconds, and Kili fidgets with his fingers. He's gotta ask now. It's his only chance. And the question has been tangling around his mind like a spider ensnaring him since the start of the play. The wrestler decides to go for it.

"Do you want to go to dinner?"

Tauriel's eyes widen and her face veers to confusion. _'Did he really...? Is he...?'_ She can't even think of a proper reply, but she manages to speak.

"What?"


	4. Chapter 4

(Author's Note: This chapter went longer than I expected!)

_'Shit. Shit, this was a bad idea. Fuck...!'_

Kili kinda shrinks into himself and gulps, giving a small and sheepish shrug. "I-I dunno...? I mean, you're probably starving, and so am I, so...?"

Tauriel just stares at him, soaking in the situation. This guy, this wrestler, is asking her, the vice president of the Drama department, on a date. She takes a breath to compose herself and looks over her shoulder, seeing Legolas basking in the glow of adoring fans.

"Usually, the cast goes to get dinner after shows..." She starts, and Kili cuts off the rest of her sentence.

"Oh...! That's cool! I bet you'd want to go have dinner with them, I mean, you're friends with them! You should go! Sorry, just a stupid idea that came into my head! Seriously, what a dum-"

"But." Tauriel is the one to cut off the other this time, and she smiles as she continues. "I think a change of pace could be nice. What did you have in mind?"

Kili stands dumbfounded for a few seconds. She really is a goddess. His expression breaks into a cheeky grin and he nods. "Awesome! Is Maggiano's alright?" He asks, his wallet aching with the sound of the expensive resteraunt.

Tauriel nods in reply and smiles at the stout and limber athlete. That grin really is infectious. "Perfect. Let me just change and drop my stuff off at home. I'll meet you there?" She's got enough flowers to fill a room, and enough makeup to paint a tent full of clowns.

Kili nods "Yeah, perfect! I'll... Meet you there!" He doesn't know if he should hug her or shake her hand, so he just turns on his heel and briskly walks off, grinning like a baby's reaction to their first experience of snow. His cheeks hurt by the time he pulls into the parking lot and as he makes reservations for a table for two.

_'She actually said yes. Oh god, what do I even talk to her about?! Um. The play. Yeah. And uh... Her interests! Yeah! Cool it on the jokes, and don't talk about wrestling. Yeah. This... Could work.'_

He sits alone at his table, and as he sees a bunch of other couples having a good time, fearfulness that she forgot, or worse, stood him up, tugs at the corners of his mind; hushed whispers of doubt and pessimism trying to lead him away from the smile that's still managing to hold out and flourish.  
When she first enters the main dining room, Kili doesn't recognize her. Apparently, she was wearing a lot of makeup in the show, and it's a definite and drastic difference from her now. She's still drop dead gorgeous, of course, but in a more natural, earthy way. Kili assumes it's the difference between Tauriel and Christine. Tauriel wears a lavish green blouse, with a wide brown belt below her bust, and simple oak-toned dress pants. The waitress leads her to Kili's table and she sits down, giving Kili a funny look.

"What?" She inquires at the prompt of his expression.

He sips at his drink and shakes his head, hiding a blush behind the filled glass. "Nothin'." He mutters after gulping down the large amount of water. God, she's pretty. "So...! Uh, what do you like doing? Other than... Theater." If he can, he wants to avoid the topic of their invisible rivalry.  
Tauriel thinks for a moment, crossing her arms. "Well. I'd like to join the armed forces when I'm older." She states.

"Really? That's... Really cool." He says, shocked a bit, honestly. Who would've thought that a pretty girl like her would want to go to battle and help people? Kili nods, thinking about it and imagining it in his mind. "What branch?" He asks. He starts to peruse through the menu, trying not to wince at the expensive prices.

"I'm not sure. But I want to be like, a doctor or nurse, helping with the wounded. But of course, I'd have to know how to fight too." She replies, looking around and sipping at her water. She seems nervous, like she shouldn't be talking about that stuff.

Kili looks up from his menu, raising an eyebrow. "You know how to fight? Or, are willing to learn?" He inquires. The more she talks, the more surprised he gets.

She slowly nods, thinking about it. "I took sword fighting lessons for a play I was in, and I was in karate as a kid. And... This one's really dorky, but my dad made me take archery classes in middle school." She blushes a bit, shaking her head._ 'So embarrassing...'_

"No way! I took archery lessons too! It was super awesome!" Kili slams his hands on the table excitedly, then winces as snooty rich people glare at him. He frowns and smooths down his shirt.

Tauriel's eyes light up like a lightning bolt from shock and delight. "Really? Oh my gosh, I just always really loved it. Like, the different bows, and arrows, and the moving targets were always the best." She gushes, a relaxed but almost child-like smile on her face.

Kili nods in agreement, running his hands through his hair out of excitement. "Oh god, yeah. And the obstacle courses? So great! I was in archery for like, five years! Until my cousi-" He cuts himself off, just for a second, cussing at himself for bringing up wrestling. "My cousin made Fili and I join wrestling." He finishes, sorta deflating at the mention of the one thing he didn't want to talk about.

Tauriel's expression mirrors his, along with his deflation. She tilts her head, memories of Legolas coming over just so that he could vent about the wrestling team and how awful they all are and how they deserve anything that comes to them, and Tauriel frowns.

"Did you want to join wrestling?" She asks in a chary manner, feeling like she's walking on thin ice as she asks the question.

Kili looks up at her, and he just gives a half-hearted shrug. "I mean, I guess. My dad, grandpa, uncles, cousin and brother were or are in wrestling. So I mean, I had to...!" He gives a lame chuckle and looks back at his menu. He's gonna have to get the vegetarian meal, it's the only cheap thing on there.

Tauriel looks down to her menu, wanting to get the vegetarian meal to make sure she isn't draining Kili of his wallet. "Not exactly. I mean, if your heart was in archery..." She trails off, giving a little sigh.

He gives another shrug. "I mean, I love wrestling. My team's like my family." He looks at her. "Why'd you join drama? I mean, theater and the military aren't exactly _compadres_ with each other."

She chuckles at his impressive linguistic artistry and nods in agreement to his statement. "I suppose... But Legolas and I have been best friends since we were children. When he wanted to join theater, I had to join him." She sighs a bit.

A waitress named April comes up and interrupts them. "Ready to order?" She asks, pen and pad at the ready.

"Spring vegetable pasta medley?" Tauriel asks, glancing at Kili to gauge his reaction. He looks surprised and instantly scans through his menu again, before looking back up at April.

"I'll have the classic lasagna." He says hurriedly, like Tauriel is going to change her mind and buy something expensive. She doesn't, and April takes note of the orders, walking off briskly to attend to other attendees of the restaurant.

Kili thinks for a moment, then snaps, pointing at Tauriel. "So you're a hypocrite!" He accuses suddenly, as if he's just solved a puzzle.

"What?"

"You said that I shouldn't have joined wrestling just because my brother did, but at the same time, you joined drama just because your best friend did!"

She puts her hands on the table. "I did not." She replies harshly.

"But you implied it." Kili raises an eyebrow at her accusingly.

She furrows her brows and squints at him. Finally, the actress crosses her arms and looks away. "So what if I did? Both of us love our extra cirricular activities, so there shouldn't be any fuss." She says defiantly.

He puts his hands up in surrender and leans back in his seat. "Fair enough. But it just goes to show; we're not that different." He points out.

She raises her knit brows, contorting her face to confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?" Tauriel asks.

"It means that the rivalry between drama kids and wrestlers that's been at our school since like, what, before I was in high school? It's BS, because we got a lot in common. And you'd be lying if you said you haven't thought about it at least once."

Tauriel looks at him and doesn't break the gaze, even as April sets their food on the table. She gulps and just sort of drops the eye contact, poking at her food. After an uncomfortable silence, she nods.

"Yeah... I've been taking that into consideration." She admits. She takes a bite of her food, though her stomach feels empty.

Kili nods as he cuts into his heaping platter of lasagna. "Mmhm, thought so." He says in a sagely manner. He honestly doesn't know what to do about all this. He supposes that time will tell, and he can only hope that time will tell a good story.

The two eat, and as most dinners go, the conversation lulls into a comfortable silence as they eat. Kili makes sure to eat like a civilized human being, for the pretty girl's sake, and truth be told, Tauriel keeps her own questionable eating habits in check as she steals glances at Kili. They finish, and Kili grabs for the check.

"Oh, no, I can get this." Tauriel protests, reaching to intercept his snag. She isn't fast enough, though, and Kili puts a few twenty dollar bills in the check. He gives her a look, and she can tell that she's not gonna win that battle. She smiles a bit and tries to hide a blush. _'Surprisingly sweet.'_

There's nothing characteristically special about their departure, just polite goodbyes and a kind and respectful hug. Since their talk of wrestling and drama, the air felt thick, and both felt it was best to sort of drop it.

_'She doesn't hate me. That's gotta count for something. Right?'_

_'He was... Charming. In an odd way.'_

When Tauriel gets home, she looks into the bouquet of flowers that Kili gave her. She sees a note and picks it up, raising an eyebrow. It's got his cell phone number on it, and she breaks into a grin. "Sneaky bastard." She says in an endearing manner to herself, adding him to her contacts. She gets ready for bed and passes out like a light, exhausted from her jam-packed day.


End file.
